Pneumatic wire stripper hand gun

ABSTRACT

A pneumatically operated, hand-held wire stripper device includes cooperating gripping members and cutting members. An end of the wire is inserted into the device and a trigger is actuated to close the cutting members to sever the insulation without nicking the wire. Closure of the cutting members controls the movement of the gripping members to hold the wire. The cutting members are then displaced from the gripping members to strip the severed insulation from the wire. The cutting and gripping members are subsequently opened to disengage the wire and, upon release of the trigger, the cutting members are returned to the initial position. The cutting members may be adjusted for accommodating different sizes of wire.

United States Patent 91 Sorensen Inventor:

PNEUMATIC WIRE STRIPPER HAND GUN William W. Sorensen, North Reading,Mass.

Assignee: Western EIeetTicTI bHEQIQT Incorporated, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: July 6, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 159,880

[52] US. Cl 81/9.S A [51] Int. Cl H02g l/12 [58] Field of Search81/9.5l, 9.5 A, 9.5 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,176,550 4/1965 Marcotte81/9.5l 3,222,957 12/1965 Kramer et a1... 81/951 2,285,167 6/1942Montgomery..... 81/951 2,735,320 2/1956 Green 81/9.5 A 1,666,277 4/1928White 81/951 Primary ExaminerDonald G. Kelly Assistant Examiner-RoscoeV. Parker Attorney-W. M. Kain et a1.

ABSTRACT A pneumatically operated, hand-held wire stripper deviceincludes cooperating gripping members and cutting members. An end of thewire is inserted into the device and a trigger is actuated to close thecutting members to sever the insulation without nicking the wire.Closure of the cutting members controls the movement of the grippingmembers to hold the wire.

The cutting members are then displaced from the gripping members tostrip the severed insulation from the wire. The cutting and grippingmembers are subsequently opened to disengage the wire and, upon releaseof the trigger, the cutting members are returned to the initialposition. The cutting members may be adjusted for accommodatingdifferent sizes of wire.

10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PNEUMATIC WIRE STRIPPER HAND GUN BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to apneumatically operated wire stripping device, and more specifically, toa pneumatic hand-gun type of wire stripper wherein operation of atrigger initiates operation of wire cutters and grippers to stripinsulation from the wire and restores the cutters and grippers to aninitial position.

2. Description of the Prior Art The manufacture and repair of electricalequipment, particularly in the field of telephony, often requiresnumerous wire conductors. Where insulated wire is used, a length ofinsulation must usually be stripped from the end of the wire prior toterminating the wire.

In the design of any wire stripping device, it is of utmost importancethat the insulation be stripped without nicking or scoring or otherwisedamaging the underlying wire. If the wire is scored or nicked, it may bebroken in a subsequent handling or securing operation. For example,where the wire is secured to aterminal by a wire wrapping operation,considerable tension is applied to the wire, and unless stressconcentrations due to nicks or scrapes are avoided, the wire may break.Also, surface damage may create stress concentrations which make thewire susceptible to fatigue failure, particularly if the equipment inwhich it is used is subjected to vibrations,or may alter the electricalcharacteristics of the wire.

Another important design consideration is the adaptability of the wirestripping device to wires of different thicknesses, since the wiring ofeven a single electrical component may require different gauges of wire.For efficiency in the wire stripping operation, a wire stripping deviceshould be readily adaptable to different gauge wires without nicking orscraping the wires.

Of the diverse types of wire strippers that have been designed, handtool types are frequently used for electrical applications because ofsize and mobility considerations. Often, the hand tool wire stripper ismanually operated and spring biased, requiring a considerableexpenditure of manual energy. In addition, many of the prior art devicesare not readily adaptable to stripping wires of different thicknesses,thus presenting problems of inefficiency andwire damage.

It may thus be appreciated that there is a need for a self-powered handtool wire stripper which is positive acting and adaptable to strippingvarious thicknesses of insulated wire without nicking or otherwisedamaging the wire.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates apneumatically operated, hand-held wire stripper device suitable forgripping an insulated wire, stripping a length of insulation from oneend of the wire, and then resetting itself 'for a subsequent operation.

rier slide and a pair of gripper jaws pivotally mounted on a frame.Normally, both the cutter jaw blades and the gripper jaws are open toreceive a section of wire. Upon trigger actuation of a pneumaticallycontrolled slide mechanism in a first direction, a toggle linkagefunctions to pivot the cutter jaw blades to sever the insulation.Pivotal movement of the cutterjaw blades pivots the gripper jaws to gripan insulated section of the wire. The slide mechanism, upon continuedmovement, displaces the carrier slide and cutter jaw blades to strip theinsulation from the wire. The slide mechanism is then moved in a reversedirection, to pivotally open the cutter jaw blades and gripper jaws andto return the carrier slide and cutter jaw blades into position toreceive another wire.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a wirestripper device embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side view of the wire stripper device of FIG. 1showing gripper jaws and cutter jaw blades closed about an insulatedwire;

FIG. 3 is a partial side view of the wire stripper device of FIG. 1showing the open position of the gripper jaws and cutter jaw bladessubsequent to a length of insulation being stripped from the wire; and

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are cross-sectional views, taken along lines 4-4, 55,and 6-6 of FIG. 2, showing the arrangement of and cooperation amongvarious elements of the wire stripping device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. ll, there is shown a wirestripper hand gun embodying the principles of the present inventionwhich may be used to sever and strip a length of insulation 10 from awire 11. The gun includes a frame 12 and a handle 13. Referring also toFIG. 4, a driving slide 15 and a carrier slide 16 having beveled edgesride within dovetail slots 17 and 18 formed on opposite sides of theframe 12. A pair of cutter actuator levers 20 and 21 are pivotallymounted on a stud bolt 22 extending from the carrier slide 16 and, inturn, mount a pair of cutter jaw blades 23 and 24. As shown in FIGS.1-3, cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 have beveled, V-shaped knife edges 26and 27, respectively, which cooperate in severing the insulation 10 onwire II. A pair of gripper actuator levers 28 and 29 are pivotallymounted on studs 31 and 32 extending from the frame 12 and mount a pairof gripper jaws 33 and 34. Gripper jaw 34 includes a vertical projection36 having a transverse slot 37 for receiving a vertical projection 38 ofgripper jaw 33. These projections 36 and 38 have V- shaped slots 41 and42 which cooperate in holding the insulated wire 11.

The handle 13 of the gun includes a trigger 46 for controlling afour-way valve 47 which, in turn, controls the application of air from ahose 48 to front and rear ends of an air cylinder 49 which functions asthe power source for operating the cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 and thewire gripper jaws 33 and 34. The air cylinder 49 is mounted on a bracket51 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 52 extending from a projectingsection of the frame 12.

The admission of air to the cylinder 49 moves a piston 53 to advance orretract a collar latch 54. The collar latch is provided with acircumferential groove 56 for receiving a notched drive plate 57 mountedon the driving slide 15. A pair of curved leaf springs 58-58, only oneof which is shown in FIG. 1, are interposed between the frame 12 and thebracket 51 to bias the cylinder 49 and the piston 53 in acounterclockwise direction about pin 52 to urge the collar latch 54 intoreceiving the notched drive plate 57. The air cylinder 49, in advancingor retracting the piston 53, thus imparts like movement to the driveplate 57 and also the driving slide 15.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a drive pin 59 extends from the driving slide15 through a slot 61 formed in the frame 12 and through a slot 62 formedin carrier slide 16. Pivotally mounted on the end of the drive pin 59are toggle links 63 and 64, which are also pivotally connected to theends of cutter actuator levers and 21. Forward or backward movement ofthe driving pin 59 thus opens or closes toggle links 63 and 64 to pivotcutter actuator levers 20 and 21, which, in turn, pivot gripper actuatorlevers 28 and 29, to open or close cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 andgripper jaws 33 and 34.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the extent of pivotal movement of the cutteractuator levers 20 and 21 and, hence, the extent of cut by the cutterjaw blades 23 and 24 may be controlled by a plate 66 secured at one endto cutter actuator lever 20 by an adjustment screw 67 having aneccentric shank 68 extending through an opening in the plate 66. Theopposite end of the plate 66 is provided with a slot 71 for receiving arivet-like stud 72 extending from cutter actuator lever 21. When theadjusting screw 67 is turned, the eccentric shank 68 displaces the plate66 to change the spacing between the adjustment screw and a lowersurface 73 of slot 71. This spacing determines the maximum distancebetween the adjustment screw 67 and the rivet stud 72 when cutteractuator levers 20 and 21 are pivoted by toggle links 63 and 64 to closecutter jaw blades 23 and 24, and thereby limits the extent of cut by thecutter jaw blades. Thus, adjustment of the screw 67 adapts the wirestripper to cut insulation on wires of different thickness withoutscraping or nicking the wire.

Referring again to FIG. 1, with the piston 53 fully extended and thecollar latch 54 engaging drive plate 57, the toggle links 63 and 64maintain cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 and gripper jaws 33 and 34 in anopen position. When the piston is retracted from the position shown inFIG. 1, driving slide 15 is moved to the right to move drive pin 59 tothe right to pivotally straighten toggle links 63 and 64 as shown inFIG. 2. Upon initial movement of the driving slide 15 to the right, thecarrier slide 16 is restrained from movement by a washerlike spring 74which bears against the inner side of the carrier slide, tending towedge the slide in its dovetail slot 18. Drive pin 59 thus pivots thetoggle liks, and the toggle links pivot the cutter actuator levers 20and 21 to close cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 about the insulated wire 11,without displacement of carrier slide 16. Additionally, the pivotalmovement of cutter actuator levers 20 and 21 pivots gripper actuatorlevers 28 and 29 to close gripper jaws 33 and 34 about the insulatedwire 11. A pair of spring clips 76 and 77 having stiff, resilient curvedtangs, see also FIG. 5, are mounted on the rear sections of cutteractuator levers 20 and 21 to maintain effective contact between the endsof levers 20 and 21 and the inner sides of gripper actuator levers 28and 29. The spring clips 76 and 77 permit adjustment of the cutterjawblades 23 and 24 while maintaining contact between the two pairs oflevers, and also allow the gripper jaws 33 and 34 to firmly grip thewire insulation without hindering the completion of closing of thecutter jaw blades or the resultant severing of the insulation.

As mentioned previously, the extent of pivotal movement of cutteractuator levers 20 and 21 and the depth of cut by cutter jaw blades 23and 24 are determined by the variable spacing between adjustment screw67 and the lower surface 73 of slot 71. Thus, upon engagement of therivet stud 72 on pivoting cutter actuator lever 21 with the lowersurface 73 of the slot 71, the pivotal movement of cutter actuatorlevers 20 and 21 and of toggle links 63 and 64 is terminated. Continuedmovement to the right of drive pin 59 thrusts the locked toggle linksand the carrier slide 16 to the right, overcoming the frictional forceexerted by spring 74, and displacing the closed cutter jaw blades 23 and24 from the gripper jaws 33 and 34 to strip the severed insulation 10from the wire 11.

In order to release the gripperjaws 33 and 34 and the cutter jaw blades23 and 24 following an insulation stripping operation, the collar latch54 is provided with an annular cam surface 78 which engages a stationarycam 79 secured to the frame as the piston moves to the withdrawnposition. When the annular cam surface 78 engages the stationary cam 79,the collar latch 54 is pivoted in a clockwise direction about pin 52 torelease the drive plate 57, allowing a spring-loaded pin 81, shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, to thrust the driving slide 15 forward. As the drivingslide is moved forward, the drive pin 59 moves to the left, as shown inFIG. 3, to pivotally break the toggle links 63 and 64, thereby pivotingthe cutter actuator levers 20 and 21 to open cutter jaw blades 23 and24. As the levers 20 and 21 pivot, the inner forward sections of gripperactuator levers 28 and 29 are engaged to open gripper jaws 33 and 34.The trigger 46 may then be released, admitting air to the rear of thecylinder 49 to advance the piston 53 and collar latch 54, whereupon theannular cam surface 78 disengages from the stationary cam 79 and thecollar latch is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction by the pair ofcurved leaf springs 58-58 to receive the notched drive plate 57. Theadvancing collar latch 54 then thrusts the driving slide 15 and drivepin 59 forward. The carrier slide 16 is initially restrained fromforward movement by the washer-like spring 74 until the plate 66 stopsthe pivotal movement of the toggle links 63 and 64, thereby locking thetoggle links, or alternately, until the drive pin 59 engages a frontsurface 82, shown most clearly in FIG. 2, of the slot 62 in carrierslide 16, whereupon, in either instance, the drive pin overcomes therestraining force exerted by spring 74 and thrusts the carrier slideforward to return the open cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 to the positionadjacent the open gripper jaws 33 and 34 shown in FIG. 1.

In considering a complete cycle of operation of the wire strippingdevice, assume that the piston 53 is initially in the full forwardposition and the two sets of jaws are open as shown in FIG. 1. A sectionof insulated wire 11 is inserted between the open jaws. The trigger 46is depressed, admitting air to the forward end of the cylinder 49,whereupon the piston 53 is withdrawn into the cylinder, moving thecollar latch 54 to the right. Movement of the collar latch is impartedto the notched drive plate 57 and to the driving slide 15 which, inturn, imparts motion to the drive pin 59. The carrier slide 16 will beinitially restrained from movement due to the action of the washer-likespring 74, so that the drive pin 59 rides within slot 62 and straightensthe toggle links 63 and 64 to pivot the cutter actuator levers 20 and 21and move the tangs of spring clips 76 and 77 to pivot the gripperactuator levers 28 and 29. These levers 28 and 29 pivot the gripper jaws33 and 34 into engagement with the insulation 10. Upon gripping of theinsulation and further pivotal movement of the levers 20 and 21, thecutter jaw blades 23 and 24 are moved to cut the insulation as shown inFIG. 2.

Further movement of the piston 53 into the cylinder 49 is accompanied bysimultaneous movement of the driving slide and the carrier slide 16.This is accomplished because the levers and 21 are now prevented fromfurther pivotal movement by plate 66 and lock the toggle links 63 and 64in place. Cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 are thus moved away from thegripper jaws 33 and 34 to strip the insulation.

As the collar latch 54 continues to move backwardly, the annular camsurface 78 engages the stationary cam 79 to pivot the collar latch awayfrom the frame 12 to release the drive plate 57, whereupon the now com--pressed, spring-loaded pin 81 imparts a slight leftward movement to thedriving slide 15. The driving slide moves the drive pin 59 toward theleft and within the slot 62 to break the toggle links 63 and 64, therebypivoting the cutter actuator levers 20 and 21 andthe gripper actuatorlevers 28 and 29 to move the cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 and the gripperjaws 33 and 34 from the stripped wire as shown in FIG. 3. The trigger 46may now be released, whereupon the piston 53 and the collar latch 54move to the left and the collar latch again engages the-drive plate 57to move the driving slide 15, the carrier slide 16, the cutter actuatorlevers 20 and 21, and the open cutter jaw blades 23 and 24 to theforward or initial position in anticipation of another wire strippingoperation.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are simplyillustrative of the invention and that numerous other embodiments can bedevised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

ll. In a wire stripping device, which comprises:

a frame;

a pair of gripper jaw means pivotally mounted on said frame for grippingan insulated wire therebetween;

a slide mounted on said frame;

a pair of levers having cutting blades mounted on first ends thereofpivotally mounted on said slide and cooperating with said pair ofgripper jaw means for pivotally opening and closing said pair of gripperjaw means;

a pair of toggle links pivotally connected at first ends to the secondends of said pair of cutting blade levers; and

driving means including a pin pivotally mounting the second ends of saidtoggle links for (l) pivoting said toggle links to pivotally close saidgripping jaw means and cutting blade levers to grip and sever theinsulation, and engaging said slide upon the pivoting of said togglelinks for (2) moving the slide to withdraw the levers and cutting bladesto strip the severed insulation from the wire.

2. In a wire stripping device, which comprises:

a frame;

gripping means mounted on said frame;

cutting means for operating said gripping means in unison with saidcutting means;

a first slide mounted on said frame for movement along said frame andmounting said cutting means to said first slide;

a second slide mounted on said frame for movement along said frame;

means for moving said second slide along-the frame;

and

means mounted on said second slide for operating said cutting means uponan initial movement of said second slide to operate said gripping meansto move said gripping means and said cutting means into engagement withan insulated wire and for moving said first slide upon continuedmovement of said second slide to move said cutting means along the wireto strip the insulation from the wire.

3. in a wire stripping device, which comprises:

a frame;

gripping means mounted on said frame;

cutting means for operating said gripping means in unison with saidcutting means;

a first slide mounted on said frame for movement along said frame andmounting said cutting means to said first slide;

a second slide mounted on said frame for movement along said frame;

means for moving said second slide along said frame;

means mounted on said second slide for operating said cutting means uponan initial movement of said second slide to operate said gripping meansto move said gripping means and said cutting means to grip and cut theinsulation; and

means mounted on said first slide for limiting the cutting movement ofsaid cutting means whereupon continued movement of said second slidemoves said first slide and said cutting means to strip the insulationfrom the wire.

4. In a wire stripping device, which comprises:

a frame;

a pair of gripper jaw means pivotally mounted on said frame for grippingan insulated wire positioned therebetween;

a pair of levers having cutter blades on first ends thereof for cuttingthe insulation on the wire;

a slide mounted'on said frame;

means mounting said levers on said slide with the second ends thereofengaging said gripper jaw means for pivoting said gripper jaw means togrip the insulated wire;

means for pivoting said levers and blades to (1) sever the insulation onthe wire and to (2) pivot said gripper jaw means to grip the wire; and

means actuated by said pivoting means and rendered effective uponpivoting of said levers and said gripper jaw means for moving said slideto withdraw said levers and blades to strip the severed insulation fromthe wire.

5. A wire stripping device, comprising:

a frame;

a pair of levers having cutter blades on one end thereof mounted on saidframe for pivotal movement toward each other to sever the insulation onan insulated wire and for movement along the length of the wire to stripthe insulation from the wire;

a pair of gripper jaws pivotally mounted on said frame for movementtoward each other in response to the pivoting of said pair of cutterblades to grip the insulated wire;

a slide mounted on said frame;

drive means mounted on said frame for moving said slide;

means adjustably in engagement with said pair of levers for terminatingthe pivotal movement of said levers upon said cutter blades severing theinsulation on the wire; and

means, including a pair of toggle links, rendered effective by themovement of said slide for (l) pivoting said pair of levers to pivotsaid gripper jaws to grip and sever the insulation and for (2) movingsaid levers along the length of the wire upon termination of thepivoting of said levers to strip the insulation from the wire.

6. In a wire stripper:

a frame;

a first pair of levers pivotally mounted in spaced relation on saidframe;

jaw members mounted on first ends of said first levers and projectingtoward each other for gripping an insulated wire;

a slide moveably mounted on said frame and interposed between said firstlevers;

a second pair of levers pivotally mounted on said slide with first andsecond ends thereof positioned in alignment with the inner sides of thefirst and second ends of said first levers;

cutter means secured to the first ends of said second levers andprojecting toward each other for severing the insulation on the wire;

resilient means projecting from the second ends of said second leversfor engaging the inner sides of the second ends of said first levers;

means for pivoting said second levers to move said resilient means topivot said first levers to move said gripping jaws to hold the insulatedwire and to move said cutter means to sever the insulation;

means rendered effective upon pivoting of said first and said secondpairs of levers for moving said slide to move said second levers alongsaid first levers and for moving said cutter means to strip the severedinsulation from the wire.

7. A wire stripper as recited in claim 6 further com prising:

plate means, including an adjustment screw, spanning said second pair oflevers for presetting the extent of pivotal movement of said second pairof levers to limit the movement of said cutter means in severing theinsulation.

8. A wire stripping device, comprising:

a frame;

means moveably mounted on said frame for gripping an insulated wire;

cutting means moveably mounted on said frame for movement away from andtoward said gripping means and for movement to sever the insulation onthe wire;

a slide mounted on said frame for forward and backward movement;

a pneumatic cylinder pivotally mounted on said frame having a piston;

means for latching said piston to said slide;

means operated by said slide and rendered effective upon the backwardmovement of said slide for moving said gripping means and said cuttingmeans into engagement with the insulated wire to grip and sever theinsulation and for moving said cutting means away from said grippingmeans to strip the severed insulation from the wire;

camming means mounted on said frame for pivoting said cylinder todisconnect said latching means to disengage said piston from said slideupon continued backward movement of said piston subsequent to thestripping of the insulation from the wire; and

means activated upon disengagement of said piston from said slide formoving said slide in the forward direction to move said gripping meansand said cutting means from the wire.

9. A wire insulation stripping tool, which comprises:

a frame;

a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said frame having grippingsurfaces on first ends thereof for holding an insulated wire;

a pair of slides;

means for mounting said slides on opposite sides of said frame;

a pair of levers having cutting blades on first ends thereof pivotallymounted on a first of said slides and cooperating with said grippinglevers for opening and closing said gripping levers;

a pair of toggle links having first ends pivotally connected to secondends of said cutting levers;

a drive pin interconnecting said second slide and second ends of saidtoggle links;

a pneumatic cylinder having a piston engaging the second of said slidesfor moving said second slide backward and forward, whereupon thebackward movement of said slide moves said drive pin to (l) pivot saidtoggle links to pivotally close said cutting levers and said grippinglevers about the insulated wire to hold and sever the insulation and to(2) retract said first slide and move said cutting levers away from saidgripping levers to strip the insulation from the wire;

a camming plate mounted on said frame for disengaging said backwardlymoving piston from said second slide subsequent to the insulation beingstripped; and

means rendered effective upon disengagement of said piston from saidsecond slide for moving said second slide in the forward direction topivotally open said cutting and gripping levers.

10. A pneumatic wire insulation stripping tool, which comprises:

a frame;

a pair of wire gripping jaws pivotally mounted on said frame;

a first reciprocable slide carried by said frame;

a pair of insulation cutting blades pivotally mounted on said firstslide, normally positioned adjacent to said wire gripping jaws by saidfirst slide, and cooperating with said gripping jaws to pivotally openand close said gripping jaws;

plate means spanning said cutting blades to adjustably limit the extentof pivotal movement of said blades upon closing;

movement parallel to said first slide;

an air cylinder mounted on said frame for limited pivotal movementtransverse to the direction of movement of said first and second slideshaving a reciprocable piston engaging said second slide;

a valve in communication with said air cylinder having a trigger fordirecting the passage of air to said cylinder to reciprocate saidpiston;

means including a toggle linkage cooperating with said first and saidsecond slides and said cutting blades for pivotally closing saidgripping jaws and said cutting blades about an insulated wire to gripand sever the insulation and for moving said first slide to move saidclosed cutting blades from the position adjacent said gripping bladesupon withdrawal of said piston from a fully extended position to stripthe insulation from the wire;

camming means cooperating with said air cylinder for pivoting saidcylinder to disengage said piston from said second slide as said pistonapproaches a fully retracted position;

means rendered effective upon disengagement of said piston from saidsecond slide for advancing said second slide to actuate said togglelinkage means to pivotally open said cutting blades and gripping jaws;and

means for pivoting said cylinder to re-engage said piston with saidsecond slide upon advancement of said piston subsequent to said cuttingblades and said gripping jaws being pivotally opened, whereuponadvancement of said piston to the fully extended position moves saidfirst slide to return said opening cutting blades to the positionadjacent said open gripping jaws.

1. In a wire stripping device, which comprises: a frame; a pair ofgripper jaw means pivotally mounted on said frame for gripping aninsulated wire therebetween; a slide mounted on said frame; a pair oflevers having cutting blades mounted on first ends thereof pivotallymounted on said slide and cooperating with said pair of gripper jawmeans for pivotally opening and closing said pair of gripper jaw means;a pair of toggle links pivotally connected at first ends to the secondends of said pair of cutting blade levers; and driving means including apin pivotally mounting the second ends of said toggle links for (1)pivoting said toggle links to pivotally close said gripping jaw meansand cutting blade levers to grip and sever the insulation, and engagingsaid slide upon the pivoting of said toggle links for (2) moving theslide to withdraw the levers and cutting blades to strip the severedinsulation from the wire.
 2. In a wire stripping device, whichcomprises: a frame; gripping means mounted on said frame; cutting meansfor operating said gripping means in unison with said cutting means; afirst slide mounted on said frame for movement along said frame andmounting said cutting means to said first slide; a second slide mountedon said frame for movement along said frame; means for moving saidsecond slide along the frame; and means mounted on said second slide foroperating said cutting means upon an initial movement of said secondslide to operate said gripping means to move said gripping means andsaid cutting means into engagement with an insulated wire and for movingsaid first slide upon continued movement of said second slide to movesaid cutting means along the wire to strip the insulation from the wire.3. In a wire stripping device, which comprises: a frame; gripping meansmounted on said frame; cutting means for operating said gripping meansin unison with said cutting means; a first slide mounted on said framefor movement along said frame and mounting said cutting means to saidfirst slide; a second slide mounted on said frame for movement alongsaid frame; means for moving said second slide along said frame; meansmounted on said second slide for operating said cutting means upon aninitial movement of said second slide to operate said gripping means tomove said gripping means and said cutting means to grip and cut theinsulation; and means mounted on said first slide for limiting thecutting movement of said cutting means whereupon Continued movement ofsaid second slide moves said first slide and said cutting means to stripthe insulation from the wire.
 4. In a wire stripping device, whichcomprises: a frame; a pair of gripper jaw means pivotally mounted onsaid frame for gripping an insulated wire positioned therebetween; apair of levers having cutter blades on first ends thereof for cuttingthe insulation on the wire; a slide mounted on said frame; meansmounting said levers on said slide with the second ends thereof engagingsaid gripper jaw means for pivoting said gripper jaw means to grip theinsulated wire; means for pivoting said levers and blades to (1) severthe insulation on the wire and to (2) pivot said gripper jaw means togrip the wire; and means actuated by said pivoting means and renderedeffective upon pivoting of said levers and said gripper jaw means formoving said slide to withdraw said levers and blades to strip thesevered insulation from the wire.
 5. A wire stripping device,comprising: a frame; a pair of levers having cutter blades on one endthereof mounted on said frame for pivotal movement toward each other tosever the insulation on an insulated wire and for movement along thelength of the wire to strip the insulation from the wire; a pair ofgripper jaws pivotally mounted on said frame for movement toward eachother in response to the pivoting of said pair of cutter blades to gripthe insulated wire; a slide mounted on said frame; drive means mountedon said frame for moving said slide; means adjustably in engagement withsaid pair of levers for terminating the pivotal movement of said leversupon said cutter blades severing the insulation on the wire; and means,including a pair of toggle links, rendered effective by the movement ofsaid slide for (1) pivoting said pair of levers to pivot said gripperjaws to grip and sever the insulation and for (2) moving said leversalong the length of the wire upon termination of the pivoting of saidlevers to strip the insulation from the wire.
 6. In a wire stripper: aframe; a first pair of levers pivotally mounted in spaced relation onsaid frame; jaw members mounted on first ends of said first levers andprojecting toward each other for gripping an insulated wire; a slidemoveably mounted on said frame and interposed between said first levers;a second pair of levers pivotally mounted on said slide with first andsecond ends thereof positioned in alignment with the inner sides of thefirst and second ends of said first levers; cutter means secured to thefirst ends of said second levers and projecting toward each other forsevering the insulation on the wire; resilient means projecting from thesecond ends of said second levers for engaging the inner sides of thesecond ends of said first levers; means for pivoting said second leversto move said resilient means to pivot said first levers to move saidgripping jaws to hold the insulated wire and to move said cutter meansto sever the insulation; means rendered effective upon pivoting of saidfirst and said second pairs of levers for moving said slide to move saidsecond levers along said first levers and for moving said cutter meansto strip the severed insulation from the wire.
 7. A wire stripper asrecited in claim 6 further comprising: plate means, including anadjustment screw, spanning said second pair of levers for presetting theextent of pivotal movement of said second pair of levers to limit themovement of said cutter means in severing the insulation.
 8. A wirestripping device, comprising: a frame; means moveably mounted on saidframe for gripping an insulated wire; cutting means moveably mounted onsaid frame for movement away from and toward said gripping means and formovement to sever the insulation on the wire; a slide mounted on saidframe for forward and backward movement; a pneumatic cyliNder pivotallymounted on said frame having a piston; means for latching said piston tosaid slide; means operated by said slide and rendered effective upon thebackward movement of said slide for moving said gripping means and saidcutting means into engagement with the insulated wire to grip and severthe insulation and for moving said cutting means away from said grippingmeans to strip the severed insulation from the wire; camming meansmounted on said frame for pivoting said cylinder to disconnect saidlatching means to disengage said piston from said slide upon continuedbackward movement of said piston subsequent to the stripping of theinsulation from the wire; and means activated upon disengagement of saidpiston from said slide for moving said slide in the forward direction tomove said gripping means and said cutting means from the wire.
 9. A wireinsulation stripping tool, which comprises: a frame; a pair of leverspivotally mounted on said frame having gripping surfaces on first endsthereof for holding an insulated wire; a pair of slides; means formounting said slides on opposite sides of said frame; a pair of levershaving cutting blades on first ends thereof pivotally mounted on a firstof said slides and cooperating with said gripping levers for opening andclosing said gripping levers; a pair of toggle links having first endspivotally connected to second ends of said cutting levers; a drive pininterconnecting said second slide and second ends of said toggle links;a pneumatic cylinder having a piston engaging the second of said slidesfor moving said second slide backward and forward, whereupon thebackward movement of said slide moves said drive pin to (1) pivot saidtoggle links to pivotally close said cutting levers and said grippinglevers about the insulated wire to hold and sever the insulation and to(2) retract said first slide and move said cutting levers away from saidgripping levers to strip the insulation from the wire; a camming platemounted on said frame for disengaging said backwardly moving piston fromsaid second slide subsequent to the insulation being stripped; and meansrendered effective upon disengagement of said piston from said secondslide for moving said second slide in the forward direction to pivotallyopen said cutting and gripping levers.
 10. A pneumatic wire insulationstripping tool, which comprises: a frame; a pair of wire gripping jawspivotally mounted on said frame; a first reciprocable slide carried bysaid frame; a pair of insulation cutting blades pivotally mounted onsaid first slide, normally positioned adjacent to said wire grippingjaws by said first slide, and cooperating with said gripping jaws topivotally open and close said gripping jaws; plate means spanning saidcutting blades to adjustably limit the extent of pivotal movement ofsaid blades upon closing; a second slide mounted on said frame forreciprocal movement parallel to said first slide; an air cylindermounted on said frame for limited pivotal movement transverse to thedirection of movement of said first and second slides having areciprocable piston engaging said second slide; a valve in communicationwith said air cylinder having a trigger for directing the passage of airto said cylinder to reciprocate said piston; means including a togglelinkage cooperating with said first and said second slides and saidcutting blades for pivotally closing said gripping jaws and said cuttingblades about an insulated wire to grip and sever the insulation and formoving said first slide to move said closed cutting blades from theposition adjacent said gripping blades upon withdrawal of said pistonfrom a fully extended position to strip the insulation from the wire;camming means cooperating with said air cylinder for pivoting saidcylinder to disengage said piston from said second slide as said pistonapproaches a fully retracted Position; means rendered effective upondisengagement of said piston from said second slide for advancing saidsecond slide to actuate said toggle linkage means to pivotally open saidcutting blades and gripping jaws; and means for pivoting said cylinderto re-engage said piston with said second slide upon advancement of saidpiston subsequent to said cutting blades and said gripping jaws beingpivotally opened, whereupon advancement of said piston to the fullyextended position moves said first slide to return said opening cuttingblades to the position adjacent said open gripping jaws.